Special teams lead Bowdoin to 3-2 men's ice hockey win

Posted February 7, 2014

The Bowdoin College Polar Bears scored three second-period goals to erase a 2-0 deficit on their way to a 3-2 win over the Hamilton College Continentals in NESCAC action at Hamilton’s Russell Sage Rink on Friday night.

The Polar Bears (12-5-2, 7-5-1 NESCAC) used their special teams units to spark the rally, scoring two power-play goals and a short-handed goal.

The Continentals (4-11-3, 3-8-2) took a 2-0 lead just 34 seconds into the second period on an unassisted goal by Evan Haney ’14. Haney took a shot from the left circle that was blocked by Bowdoin’s Jay Livermore ’14. The rebound came directly back to Haney, who beat goaltender Steve Messina ’14 for his third goal this season.

Bowdoin’s rally started less than two minutes later. Matt Rubinoff ’16 put the Polar Bears on the board midway through a Bowdoin power play. Rubinoff gained control of the puck behind the net and beat Hamilton goaltender Zach Arnold ’15 with a wrap-around from the left side. The goal was Rubinoff’s 11th overall and fourth power-play score of the season.

Colin Downey ’14 notched his third short-handed goal of the season – tied for the Division III lead – at 8:34 of the second, putting home a rebound of a shot by John McGinnis ’15. Harry Matheson ’14 beat Arnold with a slap shot from the blue line for his seventh goal and put the Polar Bears ahead to stay with 56 seconds left in the period.

Messina made 38 saves, including 16 in the third period to preserve Bowdoin’s one-goal lead. He made eight short-handed saves to help the Polar Bears kill all six Hamilton power plays.

Truman Landowski ’17 gave Hamilton an early lead, scoring his fourth goal eight minutes into the opening period. Mike DiMare ’14 sent a pass from behind the net to Landowski in front to give the Continentals a 1-0 lead.

DiMare’s assist was his team-leading 17th (he ranks fifth in Division III in that category) and raised his career total to 92 points. He’s eight away from becoming the 26th Hamilton men's player to reach 100 career points.

Arnold recorded 33 saves for the Continentals, who were playing their first game at Sage Rink in nine weeks.

Hamilton continues its four-game homestand on Saturday, Feb. 8, against Colby College at 3 p.m. The Polar Bears play a 3 p.m. game at Amherst.